MY PHONE BUZZES, alerting me there’s a new text on my phone. Any time this happens since I’ve found out Robert is in town, I cringe, hoping it’s not yet another message from him begging me to meet him to talk.
I’ve ignored him since he showed up here acting like a crazy man the other day. It’s hard for me to comprehend that Robert would ever believe I was in danger based on that video. When Zayn punched Taber, it wasn’t some random act of violence. Taber instigated the entire situation, and Zayn ended it with one blow to the face. Not once did I ever feel like I was in any danger.
When I build up the courage to sneak a peek at my phone, I’m relieved when I spot a text from my boss, Brenda, from Love in the Sands.
Brenda: Hello, Team. Hope you enjoyed your week off so far because we will return to the house on Amelia Island in three days, on Monday. Report same time as you did before.
My entire body relaxes. Waiting on this text to confirm I still had a job has been a little nerve-racking. After everything that went down with the director and me, I wasn’t sure if I would get a callback even though Bella assured me it would come. I still haven’t told her what happened between Harry and me, and I have no plans to drag her into my unnecessary drama with that creep. But I’ll make sure neither Bella or I is ever alone with Harry Fitzgerald.
Dobby’s head jerks up and jumps off the couch beside me and races toward the garage door. I twist my neck, and much like the dog, wait for Zayn to come through the door. I’ve been on pins and needles since he walked out of here this morning to head to the Devils corporate office before going over game film with the coaching staff for the rest of the day. Whenever Zayn meets with the big wigs of his team, awful shit always seems to come his way.
He’s been a professional football player for over ten years with the Devils, and he’s said he’s been to corporate more over the past year than he has the other nine combined. He’s been through it recently, which is why I feel guilty over the Taber fight. I feel like I’ve compounded his problems.
The door opens, and Dobby spins around a few times and then prances as he waits for Zayn to acknowledge him. “Hey, buddy.” Zayn bends down at the waist and runs his hand down the soft, black fur on Dobby’s back.
When Zayn straightens himself, he notices I’m watching him, and his lips pull into a tight line.
I don’t like that expression.
Not one bit.
“Was it terrible this morning?” I ask, dreading to hear that it was, and Zayn’s pissed at me for helping to ruin his career yet again.
Zayn sighs as he heads over to where I’m sitting and then plops down beside me, pulling my legs into his lap. “Not as bad as I thought. Bruce Bayne seems to think he can somehow talk the league into not imposing any suspensions on me since everything appears to be self-defense. Bruce says he’s going to bat for me on this one just like he did with the stalker shit.”
I rub his thick shoulder. “That’s great news.” I take in his face, and he still appears upset for some reason. “Why don’t you seem happy about this? Not getting suspended from any games is the ultimate goal, isn’t it?”
He shrugs his large shoulders. “It is, but Bruce isn’t doing all this for me to be a good guy. His help comes with contingencies.”
I don’t like the sound of this. The last stipulation Bruce put onto Zayn was he wasn’t allowed to date because of the whole stalker situation. The Devil’s owner likes to put contingencies on Zayn’s personal life.
“So what does he want you to do?” I ask.
He takes my hand into his and holds it on his lap. “I really don’t even want to fucking tell you because I know you won’t like it.”
The muscles in my stomach knot, and I chew on the inside of my lower lip, nervous about what he’s going to say next. “What did he say?”
Zayn sighs, and his gray eyes lock on mine. “Bruce wants me to take his granddaughter out to help boost her social status and to make me look like a good guy.”
My face twists. “What? You told him no, right? I mean, how is dating some random girl in public supposed to help you? This makes no sense.”
“You haven’t even heard the worst part yet,” he says.
“What could be worse than your boss asking you to date his granddaughter?”
His full lips pull into a tight line. “His granddaughter is Gia Whitt.”
My back goes ramrod straight. “You told him to fuck off, right?” When he doesn’t immediately tell me the answer I want to hear, I try to pull away from him, but Zayn keeps a hold of my hand and legs, locking me in place. “Zayn,” I warn. “Let me go.”
“No,” he says firmly. “Just hear me out. I agreed to three dates with her. It’s not like they’ll mean anything to me.”
I stare at him wide-eyed as I think about all the sexual fun Gia told me she would promise Zayn if he went out with her. “You can’t be fucking seriously considering going out with her. I hate that girl, and you know it.”
“Vivi,” he tries to calm me down, but I keep going.
“No, Zayn. You’re not seeing things from my side. How would you like it if I called Robert and told him I wanted to go on a couple of dates?”
The anger slashing around in his gray eyes reminds me of a storm rolling in. “I would fucking hate it, and I won’t allow you to do that. I told you, you are mine, and I’ll be damned if I allow you to go out with another man, especially one I know has been inside you before.”
I glare back at him, hating the way he’s okay with the double standard in this situation. “Well, seeing as I have no say over you and Gia, you have no right to dictate my dating life either.”
“This isn’t the same fucking situation as you and Robert, and you know it,” he growls.
He’s mad.
Good.
Because I’m pissed off too, not to mention hurt he would even entertain the idea of going out with Gia. He knows how I feel about her.
“It doesn’t matter! You agreed to it, knowing how much it would hurt me to see you with her.” I pull my hand away and push myself up from the couch before I spin around to look at him from across the room. “Gia wants to fuck you. Did you know that?”
“Do you think I give a shit about that girl? If I wanted to fuck her, I would have already. I don’t want her. I want you, Vivi. Can’t you see me going out with Gia is a way to keep my ass out of trouble? I’m not doing it because I’ve got a thing for her. The only woman I want to be with is you and you alone. You’re going to have to trust me and know nothing will happen between Gia and me.”
My nostrils flare. “But you’re okay with the rest of the world thinking something is going on between the two of you. Meanwhile, everyone believes I’m your fucking niece because you don’t have the fucking sack to tell your bosses the truth—that we’re together.”
He grimaces like I’ve punched him right in the gut. “Vivi, it’s not…I didn’t.” He sighs. “This is so fucked up. I’m sorry you’re so pissed at me, and if I were in your position, I would probably be angry with me too, but if you could just calm down and trust me—”
“I don’t fucking trust Gia!” I shout while my pulse races under my skin.
“I get that, but you have to trust me,” he says. “I won’t do anything that will hurt you, Vivi. Hurting you would fucking kill me. By being with you, I am already going against the Devils. I’m so damn addicted to you. I don’t think I can picture my life without you now. If you would just let this slide. Let me take this girl out like my boss wants, and then I’ll tell everyone the truth about us if that’s what you want me to do.”
“Why can’t you tell them now and have them call this thing off between you and Gia?”
His large shoulders sag. “In this business, men like Bruce Bayne get what they want, Vivi. If I piss him off, he can fuck up my career and make my personal life hell if he wants to. He can decide to trade me any time he wants, which means I would have to uproot my life here. Beckett and I would have to move wherever they send us, and I would be away from you.”
He reaches for me, but I step back away from him. It’s too soon to have him touch me.
I’m still mad at him and this fucked-up situation.
I understand what he’s saying and how he has rationalized everything out in his mind. Going on a couple of dates that mean nothing to him will solve his dilemma, but that still doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.
I can’t sit in this house with Zayn and witness him taking Gia out. I won’t be able to handle seeing him with her.
I lift my chin. “I’m moving in with Bella.”
His dark brow furrows. “What? When?”
“Tonight—now,” I stammer.
“Vivi, don’t be like this. We’ll get through this,” he pleads.
I shake my head. “I can’t sit here and watch you date that bitch in my face. When you get your shit figured out, then maybe we’ll talk. I refuse to be anyone’s dirty secret, Zayn. Not even yours.”
There’s no time for him to say anything else to me as I turn on my heel and head to my room to pack. The sooner I get out of here, the better.
